Rubber horseshoe.



PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

W. DOWNS. RUBBER HORSESHOE.

APPLIOA'IIOK nun saw. as, 1904.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed September 26, 1904. Serial No. 225,882.

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM Downs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rubber. Horseshoes, of which the following isaspecification.

The objects of my invention are to construct a rubber horseshoe that may be readily put on or removed in the event of wet or slippery roads.

In the construction of the shoe it is so formed and provided with fastening means that it may be arranged to fit or fasten to any size or shape of foot.

In fastening the shoe to the foot detachable means are provided whereby nails or clamping means are eliminated, thereby avoiding impair to the rubber that is used in the construction.

The construction and means of fastening the shoe to the foot are so arranged that stubbing or striking the shoe against obstacles will not remove it from its place.

I attain these objects by my invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horses hoof, showing the rubber shoe in position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the rubber shoe. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rubber shoe removed. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section view on lines 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the metal plate removed, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the metal plate.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The shoe consists, practically,of a rubber pad a, molded to conform to the shape of the bottom of the hoof and may be of any desired thickness. In the upper and front edge of the pad is a cut-away section 7), adapted to receive the toecalk of the metal shoe 0, and each of the back calks (Z is adapted to fit into cut-away sections c at the back upper edge of the pad. Latcrally extending through the sides of the pad near the back end are studs f, and projccting upward and forward from the front of the pad is a lug g, the lug 9 being adapted to fit under the edge of the metal shoe 0 between the hoof. In the bottom of the pad (4 is a cushion-groove 71 which also acts to lighten the pad. The balance of the bottom, with the exception of a small section at the front or toe part, is diagonally grooved or channeled to prevent slipping and also to provide a finished surface.

In the construction of the rubber shoe I provide a metal plate 2', around which the rubber is molded. The plate 2 consists of a thin sheet of metal formed to the exact shape of the bottom of the hoof. The lug r is formed by being stamped out and bent at right angles and then parallel with the plane of the plate 2 Stamped out and bent downward from the obverse side of the plate i from the lug r/ are a series of small lugs 7'. The lug is formed deep enough to extend through the thickness of the rubber on the upper face of the plate; but the lugs 7' are arranged so that they do not project through the rubber on the under side of the plate. The circumference of. the plate 2' will be of a slightly smaller scale than the rubber pad (4, so that none of the plate will extend through the edge of the pad. Riveted to the plate 2. is a strengthening-bar 71', which extends across and beyond the edges of the plate and forms the studs f, extending through the sides of the pad.

The shoe or pad is molded with the plate a: in the interior or slightly nearer the upper part, the rubber forming through the openings Z, formed by stamping out the lugs j and lugs g, and by this form it will be understood that the rubber will not slide on the plate, and it will also be prevented from moving by the lugs j and g, extending into the pad.

The shoe or pad (4 may be molded so as to extend considerably beyond the edge of the plate 2 that it may be out down to conform to the different sizes and shapes of hoofs.

In fitting and fastening the rubber shoe to the foot of the horse the pad will be cut down to the exact size and shape of the bottom of the hoof, the cut-away sections 6 and 6 being trimmed out to fit exactly with the front and back calks, respectively. Then for fastening the pad to the foot the lug g is forced between the hoof and the shoe 0, and a rubber band on, provided at each end with a triangular-shaped metal loop a, the loops a being adapted to fasten over the studs f, is brought over the hoofs, as shown in Fig. 1. The band m, engaging with the studs f and extending over the hoof, as shown, allows for any play or necessary movement that might occur when the animals foot strikes the ground; but the tautness of the rubber band will prevent it, with the aid of the calks and the lug g, from becoming misplaced.

It will be seen that by constructing a rubber shoe as described it is adaptable to be litted to any style or shape of a metal shoe and may be readily attached or removed without interfering with the metal shoe, as no nails are used in fastening the rubber shoe to the animals foot.

Damage is entirely eliminated to the rubber shoe, with the exception of wear and tear caused by usage.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rubber horseshoe, a rubber pad molded to conform to the shape of the bottom of the horses hoof, said rubber molded around a metal plate, said plate shaped substantially the same shape as the bottom of the hoof, a series of lugs stamped out of said metal plate, and adapted to extend down into said rubber pad, a lug stamped out of said metal plate and adapted to extend upward through said rub.- ber padthence forward parallel to the plane of the said metal plate, a strengthening-bar riveted and adapted to extend across and beyond the edges of said plate, substantially as described.

2. In a rubber horseshoe, a metal plate shaped to conform to the shape of the bottom of the hoof, a series of lugs stamped and bent.

downward at right angles with said plate, a fastening-lug formed in said plate by stamping and bending at right anglesthence parallel with the said plate, a strengthening bar riveted across said plate, said bar adapted to extend beyond each side of said plate, said projecting ends adapted to form the fasteningstuds, said plate adapted to be molded within a rubber pad, substantially as described.

3. In a rubber horseshoe, a rubber pad molded to conform to the shape of the bottom ofa horses hoof, said pad being molded over a metal plate substantially the same shape as the said pad, a fastening-lug formed in said plate adapted to extend upward through said pad, fastening-studs riveted to said plates and adapted to extend through the sides of said rubber pad, means for detachably fastening said. pad to the horses hoof, substantially as described.

4. In a rubber horseshoe, a rubber pad molded to conform to the shape of the bottom of a horses hoof, a cushion-groove formed in the bottom of said. pad, fastening-studs projecting from the side edges of said pad, a fastening-lug projecting upward and forward from the top plane of said pad, cut-aways in the front and back of said pad, saidcut-aways adapted to engage with the front and back calks of the metal shoe, the said lug adapted to engage between the horses hoof and the said metal shoe, an elastic band adapted to fasten said pad to the horses hoof, said band having metal loops adapted to fasten over the studs projecting from the side edges of said pad, substantially as described.

5. In a rubber horseshoe, a rubber pad molded to conform to the shape of the bottom of a horses hoof, a fastening-lug projecting from the top of said pad, fastening-studs projecting from the side edges of said pad, said lugs adapted to engage between the horses hoof and metal shoe, an elastic band arranged to detachably fasten said pad to the horses hoof, said band having at each end a metal loop adapted to engage with the said projecting studs, and said band adapted to stretch over the said horses hoof, substantially as described.

6. In a rubber horseshoe, a rubber pad conforming to the shape of the bottom of the hoof, cut-aways in the front and back edges of said pad, said cut-aways adapted to engage with the calks of the metal horseshoe, a lug projecting upward from the top of said pad, studs projecting from the side edges of the said pad, an elastic band having metal loops at each end adapted to engage with said studs, said band adapted to extend over the hoof and hold pad in position on said hoof by the combination of the said lug, substantially as described.

Signed at Toronto this 22d day of September, 1904.

\VILLIAM DOlVNS.

Witnesses:

A. A. ADAMS, SADIE B. SAUNDERS. 

